Changeable character, reversible sign



Patented Get. 17, 1922..

a ar 3 a SILAS I. arrwa'rnn, on NEW YORK, ii. Y. i

lhtittfilt CHANGEABLE CHARACTER, REVERSIBLE SIG-Ni.

I Application filed January e, 1922. SeriaI in. 527,374

I '0 all whom it may concern: V 7

Be it known that I, SILAS I. A'rwarnn, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ChangeableCharacters, Reversible Signs, of which the follow ing is aspecification.

' One of the objects of the invention is to provide a signhavingelements of construction whereby plates bearing imprinted characters maybe resiliently engaged between spring retaining bars arrangedlongitudinally of a frame.

Another object is in the means provided by which a plurality of springbars are held in vertical arrangement by tensional looking stripsadjacent the upper edges of the bars.

A further object is in the provision of means whereby a number'ofrelatively short spring bars may be arranged to abut at their ends, thusforming, continuous bar of indefinite length and held from sectionalderangement by locking strips of comparatively short lengths,tensionally engaging the spring bars in staggered or broken jointrelation, when a plurality of the sectional bar and strip elements arearranged in vertical order.

A still further object is in the provision of a removable letter signthat is fully reversible and adapted for use on both sides and whichpresents a built-up surface that requires no cross bars as are usuallyemployed for stiffening and covering joints of removable letter signs.

These and otherobjects which will appear are attained by the novelconstruction, com bination and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed, and shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a material.part of this disclosure and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of asign made in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmental perspective and sectional viewshowing the arrangement of adjacent members.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the character plates.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the spring bars and lockingstrips having modified lower end elements.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10' designatesgenerally an oblong rectangular frame, having top and bottom elements 11and 12, and end elements 13 and 141 respectively.

- A rabbet or groove 15 is formed in the inner surfaces, centrally ofthe four sides of the frame, those in the top and bottom elements beingadapted to receive grooved channel bars 16, and the grooves in the sideelements to receive the extreme ends of the spring bars and lockingstrips as later described.

The channel bars 16 are suited in length to the frame and consist ofmetal strips shaving flanged parallel extending sides 16 adapted to fitinto the grooves 15 of theframe members 11 and 12, and depressions 17are formed centrally and longitudinally in the exposed main surfacesof'the bars. I

V-shaped spring bars '18 are formed from strips folded angularly,centrally of their width, as at 19 in Figure 3, the free, separatedupper portions being bent inward forming curved'corner edges 20,andcontinuing angularly downward into flanged shoulders 21, their inner,adjacent edges being in register and held in close proximity by thet'ensional pull of the fold 19.

These edges are adapted to be, forced slightly apart by a rib 22, formedon the under side, centrally and longitudinally of a locking strip 24.,of corresponding length and having angularly and oppositely disposedwing elements 25 to engage over the flanges 21 and resiliently seatthereon.

Metal plates 26 are bent at their upper. ends, the curves terminating inangular extensions 27, adapted to be entered and resiliently securedbetween the elements 21 and 25 of the bars and locking strips 18 and 24respectively.

These plates 26 bear upon their front surfaces characters, such as theletters of the alphabet, figures, etc, and may be made in any desiredwidth and length.

In Figure 5 is shown a modification of the spring bars 28, in which thesame are separated at the lower angularly converging part of the barinstead of the upper, wider portion as previously described and anarcuate groove 29 is found centrally in the upper element of the bar, toreceive the rib element 22 of the locking bar.

The locking strip 30 is formed as before described and adapted to engageand resiliently close the opening 29 between the abutting edges ofthespring bar 28.

'Constructionally, the spring bars 18 and the locking strips 24;, whenused-iinrelat-ively small signs are preferably made as single units,While in signs of greaterlength, the spring bars are made up. ofcomparatively short lengths 18, whose ends abut one another,. as at 32,.and. thesesections are; held rigidly; in. longitudinal I alinement by;means, of short lengths 25k: 01; the locking,- strips which? are.arranged; as.- to break j pints, with the spring bar sections.

It Will-be. apparent; that any, number of barsimay be employed: as maybe desired toibuiltll-up. signs of any requiredi heighti Itl isalso.evident, that. the character plates may bei applied to. either orto-botlr sides of the Sigmund. that the; framenmy be in vented; and.even. roughly, handled. without. danger of displacingthe sign plates.

Aspreviously menti0ned,.the bar anclstrip elements. extendlbeyoncl the.interior. length of. the. frame members and are. entered into. thegrooved rabbets formedv in the end, mem.-- bers of! the, frame. 'Whilecertain preferred embodiments '01". this device have been, shown, and,described it.v \Villi be, understood; that changes. in. the fbrin,arrangements, proportions, sizes. and I details tliereof'may, bemadeiw-ithout. depart: ing from the" scope of the; inventionas de. finedinthezappended. claims.

Having thus descrihedimyinvention, what I cla-iinv as new and desiretfosecure by. Let: ten-Patent, i's,:

l; A sign: comprising; a. plurality. of. bars,

supponts,therefon,. character bearingplates engageable sel'ectiiveljyiwith. any of said. bars. upon. either side. thereof, and; resilientstrips interposedbetween. said. bars for. clamping said: plates tosaid.' bars.

2. A2 sign comprising; a. plurality of VI shapedbars having inturnedjfiangesontheir' upper. edges character. plates having angularlfytbent,upper. edges adapted' to be dis: posed. over said; flanges, and aspring, rail normally in.contactwith,saidlflanges adapted to clamp the.enteredi edge of. each. character.

plate.

3..rL sign: comprising a frame. having grooves in. its inner.sii1:i'aces,, channel bars disposed in: the. grooves. of the. upper: andlower frame members, hollow. symmetrical bars of triangular crosssection having their ends disposed in the grooves of the end members ofsaid frame, flanges extending from the upper, wider portion of saidbars, said flanges presenting open spaces, strips equal in width to thewidest portion of said bars, said strips being shaped to rest on saidflanges, continuous beads formed cenl. A; changeable letter. sign.comprising a. ra-bbeted frame, a plurality of one piecespring barslongitudinally disposed and. arranged vertically one above. the othersaid barsbeing scoured at. their. ends within the.

side. rabbets. of said frame, lfoeking strips interposed betw eensa-Id'.spring bars and 1nterchangeabl'e sign letters resiliently engage-- able.between. said. spring bars and. the, ad jacenti locking, strips...

A changeable letter sign having a. rah-- betedi fra1ne,.\l shapedspring; bars having spaced lnturned upper portions, lockingstripsengaged in-lthe mentioned spaces said strips consisting orv narrowoblong rectangular plates benti along the. center to form' an obtuse.angle. in section conformable with the; i'nturned". edges of. thespningbars, an

alienate. rib. "formed; from the,- a-pex offsaid obtuse angle; means.for tensional holding said rihwit'hiii. said" slot, and'means on theopposite side. of said locking plate. for en'- ga'ging an. adjacentspring bar.

6. A changeable letter sign comprising a plurality of. charactercarrying plates, x a rabbeted frame, a. plurality of spring barsdisposed: longitudinally of the frame and composedLOi" one on more unitsof comparative, short length abutting; at their ends,

locking. strips engageable with said spring bars and'oflengths adaptedto. break joints:

with. said. spring bars, said looking strips andspring barsbeing-arranged; one above the-other to present means between thestripsandibar members for holding, said? character carrying, plates.

Intestimony; whereof I.

name to this application.

SIEAES I. ATWKTER;

have signed my

